Garment or ironing press



Aug. 23, 1932. J. c. LEDBETTr-:R 1,873,608

GARMENT CR IRONING PRESS Filed OCT.. 27, 1950 3 Sheets-5h99?, l

1 @e W1! 35 n0 um mw" f FIC-3.1.

IN VE N TOR JAMES C11/'1R00 LEBWTR A TTORNE YS 23, 1932- .1. c. LEDBETTER GARMENT OR IRONING PRESS Filed oct. 27, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIC-3.2.

1N VEN Tok ESCMODLEf-Tfl? v M/ A TTORNES Aug. 23, 1932. Ji C. LEDBETTER 1,873,608

GARMENT OR IRONING PRESS Filed Oct. 27, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet `3 INVENTOR JAMES CAMROD LEDETTE/i Bf Mmmm 82 *75 8'* ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 23, 1932 JAivrn-s OAMROD LEDBETTER, on JACKSON HEIGHTsWNEW rROsrnRirY COMPANY, ING., or-srRAoUsE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION or' NEW YORK GfARNnNr OR IRON'ING rREss Application filed October L27, V1930. Serial No. 491,383.i

i This invention relates to garment or ironing presses for use in laundries, valet shops, homes and the like. i

Y An object is to produce a garment or ironing press particularly adapted for use in homes, storerooms andthe like, wherel oc-V casionally it' is desired to do pressingand ironing. work by mechanical means and upon completion of such work to easily and quickly move the pressing vmachine out of the way and store it in a spacey as small as possible. Y One of the objects of my invention is to produce a garment or ironing press for the purposes above set forth which, by reason of the construction, arrangement and combina tion of the various parts thereof, will be lighter in weight and more compact than the ordinary industrial press and at the same time not materially reduce the lcapacity or usefulness thereof. u

Another object is to produce a garment or ironing press ofthe classdescribe'd in which pedal or treadle operated means for actuating coacting press jaws is disposed within an enclosed, compact, `pedestal-like frame :or housing which not only serves as ajprotecting guard for the moving partspof the machine but also imparts thereto a pleasing andattractive appearance. Y

A further obj ect is to produce a garment or ironing press of the Vclass described comprising boiler means mounted 'integral with .the press head and its actuating arm and adapted to supply steam for heating the press head and for moistening the material to be pressed in combination with press head actuating means which is largely concealed within the frame of the machine. l

A further object is to produce a foot power garment or ironing press having all the movable links and levers, which are provided for opening and closing the coacting press jaws", disposed within, or in a substantially axial prolongation of asymmetrical pedestal-like frame or support and to make the frame or support of such size and construction that when the press is standng upon the ioor, in

operative position,the frame makes ContactV with the surface of the ioorV over an area of sufficient sizeto frictionally anchor the press Further obj ects and advantages ofmy presf to the floor, so to spealgand to preventit NT OPH@ YORK,Y AssIGNoR ro TRE from creeping during the operation thereof;

and moreover to construct, within the press frame or support, foot poweractuated means for projecting and retracting at will, a set of casters adapted to liftthe press bodily from thev floor so as to -enable'itV to be moved from place to place when notin use and have both Aof these foot power mechanisms, that is, the 616 mechanism for opening and closingthe press and for operating the casters,-so constructed and correlated that thepedals for operating them Vwill project fromthe base ofthe frame or supportinclose proximity to one another and be adapted to actuatetheir respective mechanisms by applying their actuating forces at pointslocated substantially in thevertical aXisof the machine or at points disposed equidistant therefrom. 'i

ent invention will become following specification and the appendedclaims in which I define the same, orjwill be specifically referred to hereinafter.

My invention is illustrated panying drawings, inwhich; Y. v

Figure l is a front elevational view ofgmy garment or ironing press. showing the-press pressing position; and the apparent from the jaws in closed or pedestal-like frame or support upon Vwhich said press jaws are mounted and also the eX# terior arrangement ofthe pedal vor treadle means for operating the press jaws and elevatingthe press from the floor lby; means of a caster actuating mechanism `when it is desired to move the press from place to place. y

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view'ofthe in the,V accomlower portion ofthe press pedestalor `frame showing a portion of thepress head actuating means in operative or closed; press position and a set of casters and the'operating mecha` nism therefor, which is adapted Cto raise the press from the floor when itis desired to Y roll it about from place to place; j r F'gure -8 isa cross-sectional view ofthe low.- erp'orti'on ofthepedestal or frame, similar-to Figure 2, excepty that it shows a portion-of the press head actuating means in inoperative or j open press position and the' caster operating mechanism in its operative position with the casters proj ectng below the frame.

Y cluding the actuating treadle.

'A Figure is a left hand side elevational view of my press, Yp artl-y in section, showing in detail Vthey-construct-iony of the hollow pedestallike frame or support, like lthat `shown in Figure 1,and the manner in'which the parts of the treadle actuating mechanism is ,dis-

v exterior of the boiler` near the base thereof andA adapted. for Ythe attachment of electric ,posed therein, and also modified'` forms of presshead and caster actuating means.-y Figures 6V- and- 7 yareffront andfside elevational views,jrespectively,of the lower portion .of the pedestal or frame, shown in Fig- Figure 8 is an `.assembledldetail view of the and f .slot .connection between the caster actuating levers .shown inFi-gure5. Y' Referring now tothe accompanying drawf ingsit willV be. seen that `my garmentv or ironing press-,is supportedby- `or mounted' on-'a frame, `which Idesignate generally,V bythe numeraln 10. ,f The frame 10- is Vof pedestal vformation and comprises a base .or housing 11 ,provided with a flange .12 and a sillV 13 formedV on the Yupper .central portion thereof and' adapted tofreceive and furnish; support fior .a hollow .tubular standard 14 openat both ends. A horizontal support 15 is mount- "edonwtheupper endof the standard 14 Vby of a lflange andA socketfconnection 16.;

Y the. upper end-.of thestandard 14 being Vdesig-` hated by the numeral 17 and shown in dotted lines in Fgure. When Ythe parts y11, 14 andl, vof, the pedestal or frame 10,'are assembled they are .rigidly secured together, by

any suitable means, fwhereby .they 'form a I vrigid,,hollowsupport for the press. An important feature of a press pedestal .of this [type Vis to makethe portion .of'thelower edge ofthe housingV 11, which is adaptedfto rest flatrand oflanarea'to afford sucient frictional resistance to preventfthe pressfromcreeping when it is being operated Vwithftlie press standingupon the floor.

V'The support 115 is provided with anv upright bracket terminating vat its' upper Vend oppositely' extending earsk 21, 21 (see Figf ure 1)jwhich are adapted to support a. buck 22, rigidlysecured thereto. Y The rear end of VtheV support 15 isconstructed in the form of an upright bracket 23 having a pair of verticallyd-isposed spaced arms 24, 24. A'steam boiler "'is' pivotal'ly mounted on the arms 24, 24 by meansoftrunnionsi26, 26 which are secured to either' side yof the boiler at points Lopp'osite the center of gravity of the boiler, whereby the boiler may beV easilypand freely Vrocked 'backend-forth onthe trunnions 26,

Y 26, 26, respectively.

press head 27, disposed above the buck 2, is secured to the forwardly extending ends of a pairof arms 28, 28, having their rearwardly extending ends spaced apart, so as to span the boiler 25. The rearwardly extending ends of the arms 28, 28 "are rigidly secured at the sides .of the boiler 25 to the trunnions A steam supply pipe 29 andra condensation return pipe 30 are rigidly connected between the boiler 25 and the press head 27. The boilerf25 is adapted to beheated by means of an electrical resistance, not shown,although.the terminal connections 31, illustrated in Figure 5, are brought to the current supply-lines. Y

It will be seen that the `structure just .de-

scribed, comprising the boiler 25, press head jaws 22, 27 g. or in other words,`to adaptthej. Y

press Vhead 27 to press and iron the work spread uponrthevbuck 22. I provide a han- ,dle32 mounted between the front ends of the ,arms 28,v 28 to be used in conjunction with other mechanisms, tol be hereinafter. de-

scribed, for .opening .and clos-ing the press.;

and-'applying pressure to the ,buck and press .during the pressing operation. Y

I now providerfor the employment of'foot .power and spring means -for operatingthe press head to and from thebuck, see Figures 1, 2` and 3, in `the form of a pedal orl treadle 351keyed-to a .shaft 36.extending longitudinally across the housing 11 from side to'side, said shaft'being revolva'bly mounted in' bear- .ingsf37 in the housing. The treadle 35 is .adapted to actuate a lever 38, pivotally mounted .on the housing 1l in a bearing 39, by means of toggle links 40 and 41 which are connected between the end of the lever 38, `remote from the bearing 39, and the shaft 36,

the toggle link 40 being rigidly secured tov the shaft 36. A link 42, disposed within the ,hollow standard 14, is connected' by means yof thereof are pivotally secured to thearms, 28,

28 respectively, by means of pins 45 located no Y between the boiler and press head. VThe lever -f ,38 is urgedupwardly by av tension springr46 .connected thereto and anchored toa fixed support 47. located on the insidelof the hollow standard 14, .see Figures 2l and 3. A pedal or o i' treadle 48isV rigidly. secured to .thevr end of the shaft 36, remote from the treadle 35, above described, so as vto proj ect l.from theopposite side of the shaft-36, that is, at an angle of approximately 180 behind the treadle 35. The purpose of locatingthe pedal 48 in this imannerwill be presently described.

VIf pressure is applied to the treadle 35, when it occupies the position shown inFigure 3, it will move downwardly .androtate the shaft 36, and the link keyed thereto, in a clockwise direction and move the lever 38 downwardly by means of the link 41 connected between link 40 and the end of the lever 38. l/Vhen the lever 38 is moved downwardly it actuate's the link 42 and byvirtue of the connection between the upper end of the link 42, through the intermediary of the yoke 44, with the arm 28, the press headand boiler unit, above described, is-rocked about Y the trunnions 26, 26 to closethe press head 27V against the buck 22. l/Vhen the treadle 35 is moved downwardly to close the press head the toggle links 40, 41, arelocked in alignment, see Figure 2, with the result that the head 27 is pressed upon the buck 22 and is adapted to remain so as long as desired.

It will be apparent, by reference to Figure 1, that when the treadle 35 is moved downwardly the treadle 48 willbe moved upwardly because as above described it is keyed to the shaft- 36 and extends therefrom in -a direction opposite to the treadle 35. `After the pressing operation is completed and it is desired to open the .press to, remove the work from the buck the operator does so by pressing the treadle 48 `and rocking the shaft 36 in a counter-clockwise direction with the result that the toggle 40, 41 is broken and the press head lifted to open press position by means of the spring 46. It will nowbe understood that the press, may be opened and closed by treadle actuated means independently of the handle 32 on the arms .28, 28 although the handle may be found useful as an auxiliary meansof closing the press.

Mounted on the front part of thesupport 15 around the bracket 20 and under the buck 22, is a table 49 having an upwardly entending rear vportion or guard 5Odisposed between the press jaws and the operative parts of the pressto the rear thereof to prevent materials which are being worked upon from coming in contact with these moving parts and being damaged.

Referring now 'to Figures 2, 3 and 4 it will be seen that I provide means for projecting and retracting a set of casters for raising the press from the floor when itis desired to move it from place'to place or set the press securely on the floor at the loca.- tion where it is to be used. My caster operating means comprises a pedal or treadle 55 mounted on a bar 56'having theends thereof bent backwardly, `with reference to the treadle, to form a pair of parallel spaced levers 57 and 58, said lever and pedal struc- 62 near thepins 59, 60, 63and64 whichcon` neet one end of each of.l said levers tothe f inside ofthe housing 11A as aforesaidfv To raise the'press from the iioor and sup-r port it by Vmeans vofthe c`asters'674 instead of lthefbottom of the-pedestal orframe 10,

the operator presses the treadle 55 which ro? -tates theA levers 57,V 58, 61 'and' 62 Vslightly about` their hinge pins 59,160, 63nandw64 whereby the casters 67 carrieditherebygare thrust fromv beneath the housing 11 with'thev vresult that the press as a whole is-elevated from the floorand supported by the casters so that it is adapted to beirlled freely about the floor. A The casters67 arefheld in their depressed positionl by means lof 4a-"springactuated Vsnap-hook y69 whichengages Cthe treadle 55`and when it is desired to raise. the castersl to lower' the Apress tto the floor. the

Vsnap-hook 69 may be released by :depressing fvv v a' pedal 70 formed'integral therewith, and when thetreadle 55 isreleasedthe "hook 69 will return to its normal position against a pin 71 to which it is constantly urged a leaf spring '72. i z ,i 1

Referring now to I `igures 5,-6 and 7 I show a modified formiof pedal actuating" means Afor operating the presshead '27iby means of the link 42 and its associated parts; This modiication provides for acentrally disposed foot 'pedal 75 and-"lever 76 pivotally mounted on the rear wall of the'housingV 11. by means of a pin 77, thehousing having` a slot 78 in the front wall through whichthelever 76 may be inserted at the time the-.Inachine is assembled and thereafter actuated. The link 42 is connected to lever -76 .by means of a pin- 79 intermediate its ends andpositioned substantiallyin line with the vertical laxis of the frame 1 0. Casters 80, 81,182 and' 83', onlythe vfirst two of'which are shown in Figure 5, are mounted in .bearingblocks 84 formed in the four corners of thelhousing, respectively. lThese castersare providedwith cylindrical shankportions 85 slightly longer than the thickness of thefbea-ring. blocks 84 and provided withrounded heads 86 and are adapted to move freely up anddown in the bearing blocks', their movement being` limited by a flangeA 87 secured tothe lower end of the shankand the head 86 on the top of thefshank.

' The casters arefoperatedin pairs (see 80j' and 81, Figure) .by meansofalink88 pivfy o tally mounted onapin 89 in the'corneI-Of the housingfll ata `point a little above, and'in the same vertical plane as the center lof the mounting for ythe caster 8O and extends forof the housing .11; A link 93 is pivotally connected' by means of a pin 94 to the front wall of thehousing '11 at a point a -little aboveand in the same lvertical plane as' the caster 81 V'andthe other end'of the link 93 is connected by means of a pin and slot-connectionz95to thelink 88, see Figure 8; The mechanism just described is adaptedto thrust the casters 80 and8l downwardly below the housing 11 {whenthe pedal 90 is depressed, and 'when the pedal is raised the casters will again assume the position shown in Figure 5. It willvbe understood that a similar pedal 96 and an as-A sociated link mechanism, not' shown, is provided on the other side of the press frame and that both pairs of casters SKO-8l, and 82%83,

lmust be'lowered byv means of their respec tive linklmechanisms to lift the press off the `fioor. vIn order to maintain the casters 'in Y their extended oroperative positions, where- @by the press may ybe moved at will about the riioor,r theV pedal 90 is adapted toy rock'about the stud 91 by which it is secured to the link 88 whereby to effect an engagement between a hook 97 caried by the pedal 9() with va lug 98 on the side of the housing 11, seeFigures 6 and 7 Y 1 While I have illustrated and described what now seems to be the preferred embodiment of` my invention, I am aware that the structure shown is susceptible of modification and variation lwithout departing from the essential features of my invention or exceeding the scope kof the appended claims-whichparticL e vularly'define the same. 'v

- horizontal support, a

What is claimed is:

l.l A garment or ironing press comprising a frame of pedestal formation having a lower housing, and a hollow standard, rising from the housing and open at each end, a horizontal support on t l e upper end of the hollow standard, an upright bracket on the frontend ofthe buck carriedv on the front' bracket, anotherrupright bracket onthe rear of the horizontal support, boiler means carried onthe rear bracket last-named,'a press l head, r'pipe connections between the `boiler means andthe press head, an arm having its front end attached to the press head and its rear end Vpivoted on the rear'bracket; andoperating means includingY a link within the hollow standard and having its upper end connected to the yarm between its ends, and

` pedal means pivoted in the housing and connectedto the'link to draw down on the link to "close the press head against the'buck.

` ,2QA garment or ironingpress comprising a hollow frame, a horizontal support von the upper endfof the frame,an upright 'b'r'acket'on each endiof the horizontal support, a buck y'on one bracket, a presshead above the buck, boiler means pivotally carried on the other bracket tothe rear of the buck and press head,

rigid pipe connections leading from the boiler means to the press head, an arm having its r rear end pivoted on the boiler pivot on the rear bracket and its other end reaching for- -wardly and attached tothe press head; andV operating means disposed Vwithin the frame 'andconnected to the arm between the boiler and press head to actuate the press head'by swinging the boiler, the pipe connections, and

press head, as a unit.

3. A garment or ironing 'press comprising a frame including an upright hollow standard open'at its upper, end, bracket meansl carried 'on the upperendof the standard, said bracket means comprising a pair ofspaced arms at the rear end thereof, a pivoted steam boiler mounted between the spaced arms on therear of said bracket means and a buck-mountedon the front thereof, a press head abovethebuck,

and means vconnecting the pressrjhead and frame of pedestal formation; said frame com-` prising 'a lower housing,;and aihollow standard open at both endsv and mounted'thereon; a horizontal support onthe upper end of the standard, and an upright bracket on eachend of the horizontal support; a buck'mounted on one bracket, and-a press head above the buck;

boiler means. pivotally mounted on thev other Y bracket to therea'r ofthe buck and presshead` with the axis of said pi-Votal mountaing being located on a horizontal line'passing transversely of the machine through the center of cated inthe same plane as the pressing surface of the buck; in combination with an arm having its rearend pivoted on theboiler pivot and its forward yend attached to the press headgand operating means connected to the arm for actuating the press head by swinging the boiler and press head as a unit about .said pivot, said operating means extending through operator-,operated member Vextending from the lower housing.

1 gravity of the boiler, saidV axis being also lo- A the hollow standard and having an Y In testimonywhereof I affix my signature; y

Janus 1cannon LEDBETTER 

